Cumberland Council is relying on agency staff to keep its building control service operating, with 13 of 15 roles vacant and the function described as under significant resource pressure. The article also highlights wider staffing shortages across local authority building control, with some councils reporting backlogs and paused inspections.
The Building Safety Regulator has warned main contractors that it will scrutinise how they oversee subcontractors on higher-risk building projects. The warning comes as projects progress from gateway two design approval towards gateway three, with the regulator expecting tighter management and control.
The article examines the NHS New Hospital Programme’s first wave of Hospital 2.0 schemes, which will use standardised designs and an alliance delivery model to accelerate construction and reduce costs. Industry leaders highlighted significant constraints in supply chain capacity, specialist skills and the need to navigate building safety gateway approvals for higher-risk hospital projects.
The article argues that reforms to late payment in construction should distinguish between unlawful late payment and legitimate retentions. It warns that a blanket ban on retentions could undermine building quality, complicate payment structures, and create delays in higher-risk residential projects, including gateway three approvals under the building safety regime.
Leeds-based Torsion Construction has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators after experiencing liquidity pressures and project-related commercial difficulties. The notice provides temporary protection from creditor action while directors assess funding and restructuring options.
Mace Consult says panic-buying ahead of changes to UK steel import rules has contributed to sharp rises in fabricated structural steel prices and wider construction material inflation. The report links this to supply disruption, higher energy costs and broader uncertainty, warning that lead times and procurement risk may worsen in the near term.
